Los Angeles Lakers biggest worry going into round two should of been the concern of the long layoff while their next opponent would be fair ready to play. With the report and talk of Bryant being named MVP though premature could of taken some of the consentration away from what the Lakers needed to address.
Phil Jackson had the Lakers preparing to face Utah and if it were to of been Houston they would of adjusted in mid-game. As it turned out Utah was the opponent, and though the Lakers haven't played in some time they handled business in game 1 or the second round here at Staples Center.
The long lay-off did show in the Lakers legs when it came to rebounding, being constantly beaten to the ball letting Utah come away with 25 offensive rebounds. Though they were beaten to the ball they continued to stay with the opposition forceing more times then not to pass back out and restart their offensive plays. Without this determination easy put back may have resulted in a totally diffrent outcome.
Where the Lakers shooters were a bit off initially they continued to be aggresive on their driving and passing. The Lakers second unit probably had it the hardest, it's bad enough to come off the bench but a long lay-off truely set you back for a game or so. The Lakers starters made this a moot point with their shooting, as a group they hit for nealy 50% of their shots, while holding Utah to 37% from the field. Surely at time it looked as if Utah was the team who had a six day lay-off more than the Lakers.
From the outside the Lakers continued their resent marksmanship from the 3pt line again hitting 50% from the arc nailing 5 of 10. The Lakers perimeter defense should also by holding Utah a 3pt happy shooting team to 21% on 4-19.
In game two the Lakers second unit we undoubtably be back in form. There were some open looks the second unit saw, but their shooting was a bit erratic, Though Sasha Vujacic did contribute a playoff high of 15 pts while going 4-6 from the field and perfect in 5 attempts from the line. He was also Perfect from beyond the arc nailing both attempts he took. And though Turiaf and Farmar showed there rust as far as shooting, expect them to be back by next game.
Utah blocked 9 shots, as we all knew they had the potential to do with Millsap and Kirilenko. The Lakers though have become a shot blocking team as well. Last round they displayed this new weapon to their defensive arsenal and in game 1 or thesecond round against Utah they had 8 blocks. With others which appeared clean, but were called as fouls.
The Lakers showed their own form of Showtime in the second quarter where they extended a one point lead to 15. They had a large as a 18 point lead but as they have early in the first round they enabled the Jazz to close to within four. WORRY TIME! Only for those who haven't follow the Lakers since the Gasol trade. These Lakers have too many weapons and Bryant is no longer afraid to let them help him to a championship. All team continue to consentrate on Bryant when he receives the ball from either Fisher or Gasol in the high post, but unlike years past Bryant in his MVP form now trust his teammates to finish plays. A trend opposeing teams refuse to except. This allows Bryant to find and open Gasol going to the bucket for an easy two, or a wide open Vujacic when he penetrates and kicks out.
It was only last year when all us Laker fans would of thought the same as the opposition does now. And though Bryant did take four shots in the last three minutes -all misses- I switched to feeding his teammates in the end. Utah forced to foul to try to get close had this part of the game plan go array as the Lakers shot 83% from the line led by Bryants 21-23 of which he hit his first 17 in a row.
The main reason for this confidence in the Lakers are the big three match ups. Where the LakersBryant/Gasol/Odom Shot 21 for 41over 50% from the field, 29 for 36 from the line and 1 of 2 from beyond the arc for a total of 72 points, 25 rebounds and 15 assist with four blocks.
Utahs big three of Boozer/Williams/Okur shot 18 for 51 at 36% from the field, 13-16 from the line and 1 of 11 from the arc for a total of 50 points, 42 rebounds and 16 assist with no blocks. Williams in having to gaurd Bryant is having his offensive side of his game suffer. And once the rebounding is corrected Okur and Boozer will be limited to their second chance points.
Kirilenko was suppose to cause a matchup problem but Radmonovic did quite well while defending him holding him to 5 of 11 shooting from the field and 0 for3 from beyond the arc and finishing with just 11 points. Radmonovic meanwhile showed he too has a effecient part in the Lakers offense and hit half his shots from both the field and beyond the arc finishing with 10 points.
The rest of the bench may not of scored much, but they to play there role with Walton and Turiaf absorbing some of the fouls from the foul happy Jazz which saw both Boozer and Kirilenko foul out.
As hard as it is to play in Utah and as good as Utah is as a home team we've won there already this season and if we go in up 2-0 look for Kobe and the Lakers to Come away with at least one of the games, and then finishing it up here for the fans!!
Lakers in Five. Now the bad news, Our starting center isn't even playing and our main 3 pt. threat is out. This bad news is for the league that hasn't even experienced the total Laker package yet. So even though we only have a draft pick in the fifties in the first round we are already set for next year.
Welcome Laker fans for the next chapter of the best the NBA will have to offer for the next few years!!!!
Dodson- We'll thinking alike, but I see the Lakers in 5 hopefully this will be as it should and I'll get more pool money.
JDiz- With teams still thinking Kobe we take every important shot it just opens up his teammates of which he now has faith in to easy scores. Other team must pick their poison- though neither is good.
Beret- Thiers only on team LAKERS, fueled by the greatest in todays game KOBE. Enough said.
Hate to be captain negative, but rarely does a team hit that level of "really good" and win first time. Perhaps we all forget those games against Sonics, and Jazz in late late 90's where we 'paid our dues'
I will be suprised if we go all the way this year. We are missing Bynum (I am not sure who our biggest 3 point threat is that we are missing..that's confusing me) and that may come to play.
And mainly it goes to Bandwagoners...teams develop and become really good and then hopefully become great. It's about the journey. Enjoying the fact that we are playing really well. People who call our star player 'Cobe' (don't look now but ones on this page) are either really baked or don't really know whats up, and just want to talk smack.
Our team has a pretty good chance, but game 1 against the Jazz showed that we seriously miss our tough inside presence. This is is far from over.
I am a graduate of UCLA, though I attended AU for one year on a baseball scholarship. Served my active duty time in the Air Force mainly overseas in Turkey and the Philippines. Upon my honorable discharge I remained in the Areospace field as a sub-contracto r in Fixture Stuct., which allowed me to travel and work on projects such as the Stealth and the C-17. After losing most our aerospace contracts to oversea's competitor Aerobus, I returned to California (Orange County) and now oversee my remodeling company.
I'm a avid fan of all Los Angeles Sport teams and have knowledge through my father of the teams history from his moving From South Dakota, to Cleveland, to New York and Finally to Los Angeles. Brings the Clev. Rams, Minn. Lakers, and Dodgers with him, to hear him tell it.
